Best Small Business Books of 2012 - Part 2

In part 1, we shared the best business books from the start of 2012. Based on our own research and recommendations from other small business owners and experts, here’s the part 2 roundup of more must-reads on running a small business.

When life gives you lemons, entrepreneurs simply figure out how to make profitable lemonade. This Small Business Trends’ 2012 Small Business Book Award winner introduces 13 guiding principles to help readers turn challenges into fruitful enterprises.

Growing a fledgling business can take a toll on family life, but healthy work-life balance is possible. Selected among Entrepreneur magazine’s best business books for 2012, Meg Cadoux Hirshberg’s guide helps entrepreneurs manage time for both business and family, with examples from her own experiences as the wife of the Stonyfield Yogurt founder.

Finance expert Monica Mehta shares the stories of successful self-made entrepreneurs — including founders of CLIF Bar, Dogfish Head Beer, KIPP Charter School and J Brand Jeans — as she explores the habits, psychology and philosophy that put these empire-builders on top.

Listening — an often-overlooked business skill — ranks among the best tools a business owner can use to gain clarity, become more efficient and make better decisions. Bernard Ferrari’s hardback sharpens readers’ ears and minds to help them solve problems.

The greatest leaders aren’t always the hardest workers; they’re the best facilitators, coordinators, and visionaries who prepare their team to successfully carry out business details and overcome challenges. J. Keith Murnighan’s book helps managers stop micro-managing and start empowering their employees.